What is the difference between regional and direct trenitalia trains?

Question

I'm going to be taking a train from Bergamo to Milan and back at the end of the month. The fastest option shows up with a D symbol on trenitalia's website and goes into Milano Centrale. The others go into Lambrate and Porta Garibaldi. These have an R symbol. I think I've worked out that D train is direct and the R trains are regional from their website. Are there any surcharges or do you have to reserve a seat on the direct trains into Milano Centrale?

Answer 1

Trenitalia runs the Rail Network in Italy. They have various kinds of train - Eurostar, Regional and Passenger. The quickest ones are Eurostar ones which are express quick. Regional ones are slightly slower and less comfortable.

For all train travel you will need to reverse a seat. Reservation on EuroStar can be done either at the departure station or within train itself (which costs a bit more).

Answer 2

prices for direct and regional trains are usually the same.

dont get it wrong: direct trains are not the fast ones, as maybe the name could suggest, and sometimes they dont go direcftly to a place but make stops inbetween.

the fast ones are either IC intercity or eutostars, but they are much more expensive.

Answer 3

There are actually 4 classes of train -

Regionale - slowest, least comfortable.  Best to use if you are going to small village stations.  They are the cheapest and get there in the end!

Diretto - cuts out some of the smaller stations but not the fastest trains in the world.  UK commuter standard (and every bit as reliable).  

Express - City-to-city and until recently the top service.  More expensive than the two above but trust us, its worth it!

Eurostar - luxury and very fast trains.  More expensive again but worth it for longer journeys.

You pay for the distance, so its not cheaper to get a return than two singles, and you don't have to get the same class of train in each direction.  It is a good idea to book Eurostar or Express seats in advance as they are on an allocated seating basis.  The diretto and regionale are the usual 'run and scramble' seating system (but they don't tend to be overcrowded).

You can get a first-class ticket for not much more than standard.  If you do, you get more room and usually a seat in a compartment with blinds and curtains.  How advantageous that is depends on who else is in your compartment!

Before you board your train, you have to put your ticket in a little yellow machine that validates it for travel.  If you don't stamp your ticket, you could get a telling off (or even a fine for fare dodging).  You'll find the 'convalida' machines on the platforms and at the exit from the booking halls.

Milan Centrale is currently being rennovated but it is a fabulous station building.  Don't be there on your own after dark though, as there tend to be a lot of hanger-arounders just outside.

Have a wonderful trip -I was in Milan over the summer, and I'm very jealous!

Answer 4

Diretto is faster than regionale, as it is supposed to go directly to the destination or make just a few stops. Regionale stop at every single station on the route. In both cases you don't need to reserve a seat and the ticket costs the same (no surcharges: they are only for IC and Eurostar trains).